Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (2024)

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (1)
Medically Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman,RD,LD,MPH on November 28, 2022

Written by Rachel Reiff Ellis

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (2)

Parmesan

1/10

Lactose intolerant? Give parmesan a try. In just 1 (grated) ounce, this low-lactosechoice delivers 8 grams of protein, 119 calories, and only 3 carbs, without causing tummy trouble. Plus, it’s high in calcium and phosphorus, nutrients that help build bone.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (3)

Goat Cheese

2/10

It’s often easier to digest than cheese made from cow’s milk because it has different proteins that don’t irritate your digestive system. It also has a higher percentage of medium-chain fatty acids, which your body absorbs quickly instead of storing, the way it does with other types of fats.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (4)

Feta

3/10

This tasty cheese is low in both calories and fat while packing a vitamin B punch. Other nutrients it brings to the table include vitamins A and K, folate, pantothenic acid, iron, and magnesium.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (5)

Vegan 'Cheese'

4/10

In general, vegan diets can improve gut health and increase your fiber intake. Cheese made from plant-based options such as soy, nuts, seeds, or coconut can be a healthy choice, but pay attention to labels. Some vegan products are overly processed, which takes away from their healthy potential.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (6)

Blue Cheese

5/10

This tangy, smelly treat is a solid source of calcium. Just one ounce has 15% of your daily recommended value.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (7)

Cottage Cheese

6/10

This power cheese is packed with nutrients like protein, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. It’s also low in cholesterol and a good source of riboflavin. But it often comes with a load of sodium, so read labels and look for brands that have a lower amount.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (8)

Mozzarella

7/10

If you’re looking for a low-sodium, low-calorie cheese, mozzarella is a smart pick. You also get a dose of probiotics in each serving from the healthy bacteria inside.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (9)

Ricotta

8/10

The whey in creamy ricotta boasts amino acids -- the building blocks of all proteins in your body. Whey is also good for building muscle, lowering blood pressure, and reducing cholesterol.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (10)

Farmer Cheese

9/10

Farmer cheese is cottage cheese that’s pressed to remove most of the moisture. Because it has less liquid, it also has little to no calcium. But it’s low in calories, sodium, and fat while offering a good amount of protein.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (11)

Extra-Sharp Cheddar

10/10

When you want cheese but don’t want to go overboard on calories, opt for a high-flavor option like sharp cheddar. It can satisfy your flavor craving with just a small, bold dose. In addition, all of these cheeses are available in low-fat versions.

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses (2024)

FAQs

Eating Healthy? Try These Cheeses? ›

The best of these are the fresh cheeses. Fresh cheeses are the ones that are soft and creamy. They include cottage cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone, mozzarella and ricotta. You may think of these in terms of the high-fat recipes that they are often part of, but that's not the only way to eat them.

What is the healthiest cheese to eat daily? ›

Here are 10 kinds of cheese that are on the healthier side.
  1. Part-skim mozzarella cheese. Part-skim mozzarella is lower in saturated fat than many other cheeses. ...
  2. Feta cheese. Feta cheese is a great salad-addition. ...
  3. Low fat cottage cheese. ...
  4. Goat cheese. ...
  5. Ricotta cheese. ...
  6. Swiss cheese. ...
  7. Cheddar cheese. ...
  8. Gouda cheese.
Sep 3, 2021

What cheese can I eat trying to lose weight? ›

The best of these are the fresh cheeses. Fresh cheeses are the ones that are soft and creamy. They include cottage cheese, cream cheese, mascarpone, mozzarella and ricotta. You may think of these in terms of the high-fat recipes that they are often part of, but that's not the only way to eat them.

What cheese is best to lower cholesterol? ›

Choose cheeses that are lower in saturated fat and sodium. (Though sodium does not affect your cholesterol levels, excess sodium can lead to high blood pressure, which is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.) Examples include reduced-fat Swiss, mozzarella and ricotta cheeses.

What is the healthiest cheese for seniors? ›

Cottage Cheese

This power cheese is packed with nutrients like protein, phosphorus, calcium, and potassium. It's also low in cholesterol and a good source of riboflavin.

What cheese is good for gut health? ›

Typically, probiotics are in cheeses that have been aged but not heated afterward. This includes both soft and hard cheeses, including Swiss, provolone, Gouda, cheddar, Edam, Gruyère, and cottage cheese.

What is the best cheese for losing belly fat? ›

Cheeses such as cheddar, cottage cheese, ricotta, parmesan and feta, which are lower in fat, can be beneficial for weight loss when eaten in moderation. However, avoiding ultra-processed cheeses and those with high sodium levels is essential, as these are not conducive to weight loss.

What is the least fattening cheese? ›

5 Cheeses Full of Taste but Low in Calories
  • Parmesan. Calories per serving: 20* Serving size: 1 tablespoon. ...
  • Part-Skim Mozzarella. Calories per serving: 70-80. Serving size: 1 slice/stick. ...
  • Camembert. Calories per serving: 85. Serving size: 1 oz. ( ...
  • Swiss cheese. Calories per serving: 100. ...
  • Cottage Cheese. Calories per serving: 164.

Is coffee bad for cholesterol? ›

Unfiltered and French press coffee may raise cholesterol levels, while instant and filter coffee are less likely to affect them. The risk of heightened serum cholesterol levels also depends on how much coffee a person drinks and how sensitive they are to caffeine.

Are eggs bad for cholesterol? ›

One large egg has about 186 mg of cholesterol — all of which is found in the yolk. If your diet contains little other cholesterol, according to some studies, eating up to an egg a day might be an OK choice. If you like eggs but don't want the cholesterol, use only the egg whites.

Is avocado high in bad cholesterol? ›

2 DO AVOCADOS RAISE CHOLESTEROL? Like many other fruits and vegetables, avocados have no cholesterol. Healthy avocados also contain good fats and can improve your intake of dietary fat, which in moderation helps with nutrient absorption, without raising LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels.

Which cheese to avoid? ›

Unhealthy Cheeses
  • Halloumi Cheese. Be aware of how much of this squeaky cheese you're adding to your morning bagel and salads! ...
  • Goats/ Blue Cheese. 1 oz. ...
  • Roquefort Cheese. Roquefort is a processed blue cheese and is incredibly high in sodium. ...
  • Parmesan. ...
  • Cheddar Cheese.
Apr 20, 2017

What is the healthiest cheese ever? ›

Which cheese is healthiest? Cottage cheese is probably the healthiest cheese, Rizzo says. “It's lower in saturated fat and higher in protein than most other cheese,” she explains.

What is the most hated cheese? ›

Casu martzu (Sardinian: [ˈkazu ˈmaɾtsu]; lit. 'rotten/putrid cheese'), sometimes spelled casu marzu, and also called casu modde, casu cundídu and casu fràzigu in Sardinian, is a traditional Sardinian sheep milk cheese that contains live insect larvae (maggots).

Is it OK to eat cheese daily? ›

You don't have to cut cheese out of your diet, but if you have high cholesterol or blood pressure, use high-fat cheeses sparingly. A 30g portion of cheese provides seven per cent of your daily calories and there can be more salt in a portion of cheddar than in a packet of crisps.

What cheese has health benefits? ›

While all cheeses should be eaten in moderation, there are some that are a good addition to your shopping list, including swiss, feta, part-skim mozzarella, parmesan, and cottage cheese (2). These are a great source of many essential vitamins and minerals, and can help you avoid common health issues.

What cheese is a superfood? ›

Soft creamy cheeses such as mozzarella, burrata, brie, camembert, feta, goat's cheese and cream cheese and medium cheeses such as gouda, cheddar, wensleydale, provolone and muenster, are loaded with calcium (especially in the rind).

What is the least processed cheese? ›

What are the least processed cheeses?
  • Ricotta cheese.
  • Goat cheese.
  • Feta cheese.
  • Cottage cheese.
Jan 20, 2023

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